By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON, KY—
The 122nd edition of the $435,000 Kentucky Futurity was taken by
Nuncio, doing so in a near gate-to-wire fashion over 2013 Dan Patch Winner,
divisional leader, and stable-mate Father Patrick.
John Campbell
sent Nuncio straight to the lead, while Father Patrick sat in the pocket, and
Hillustrious kept up in third. Nuncio rolled by the quarter in :27.2, then
progressed to the half in :54.1 (:26.4).
Father Patrick
soon nipped Campbell’s helmet, and Yannick Gingras signaled for Father Patrick
to make his move around the far turn. The two hooked up in the most anticipated
battle of the afternoon, with Father Patrick having the nose advantage in a
1:22.2 (:28.1) third quarter.
Father Patrick
appeared to have put away Nuncio, but the 9/5-second choice emerged in front at
the eighth pole. Gingras asked more from Father Patrick, but he appeared to
have fought his battle, and Nuncio, who had finished second to another Jimmy
Takter horse, Trixton, in the Hambletonian earlier this year, finally got his
turn in the spotlight, winning the Kentucky Futurity in 1:51.3 (:29.1). Il
Sogno Dream was third, and Lightning Force was fourth.
The sophomore son
of Andover Hall-Nicole Isabelle-Lindy Lane is owned by Stall Tz Inc., and
trained by Jimmy Takter. Nuncio, earning $1,488,970 in his career, returned
$5.80 to win, with the $2 exacta returning $7.20.
Trainer Jimmy
Takter also won the $224,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity with Shake It Cerry
earlier in the card.
“He [Nuncio] was
over there [three-quarters] faster than I wanted him,” driver John Campbell
said.
“He just wasn’t trotting as comfortable, and when I tried to back him up,
he got a little bumpy. Once Father Patrick came out, I thought he was going to
go right by, and he got partway by, and my horse just dug in. I pulled the
plugs and blinds off him, and he was able to fight him off.”
“He was still
going to the wire, but his gait isn’t the same,” Campbell also said. “He’s one
of those unusual horses that just doesn’t trot as well over the surface. He was
laboring with his gait a little bit, but he’s got such a great attitude; he
puts his head down, and goes straight forward.”
“Nuncio had been
chasing [Father] Patrick all year, and I beat him with Trixton in the
Hambletonian,” trainer Jimmy Takter said. “He’s well-deserved this win. He’s
been an absolutely wonderful horse to work with, and he tries so hard.”
“Every horse gets
beat,” Takter also said, in regards to Father Patrick. “Of course I’m a little
disappointed, [Father] Patrick should’ve won the race. This horse [Nuncio] is a
tough one to get by. He has the right attitude, and he’s a fighter.”
“[Father] Patrick
can leave, very hard, too,” Takter also said, in regards to Nuncio and Father
Patrick racing one-two. “One post is not the favorite for leaving, but that
horse [Nuncio] just raced fantastic, so I expected them to fight this race. I
know Yannick [Gingras] had tremendous respect for Nuncio in front, and he knows
how tough it is to get by.”
Takter also said that the two would not
compete together until the Breeders Crown.
